St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-22

election must be attributed to independ
ent voters in his'own state, not presi-
dent has been seated after being selected
by the candid voice of the people pro-
claimed under the promptings of disin-
tereSted patriotic sentiment since the
days of ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Party
prejudice has been encouraged and
party zeal awakened to arouse enthus-
laSm and SECURE success at the expense
of cool deliberation and fair Judgment.
The public servants who have ridden
into power upon the wheels
OF these political implements
have caught the feyers such
instrumentalities engender, and. as a
rule, in their official conduct have been
guided by the same feelings which ca
gerness to win inspired them to adopt
Ill making a canvass. As result, the
patronage of the government has been
distributed as political rewards. and
legislation has been moulded to promote
party victory, with little regard for tine
wants of the people. The object of Il
government is to secure happiness to its
people. Observations of the workings
of political parties in this country pre-
sent a different aim. The main pur-
pose of government would appear to be
to provide offices for the benefit of poll
ticianS and others, who are willing
tools i'll their hands. To this end intel
Egence and wisdom are of little use.
The latter is requisite only to determine
the best policy TO pursue to gain party
victory Everything else is sacrificed
to tilat extremity; qualification for
place is matter of the least conSidera-
ton; nationality commands higher
premium than all things else among
the slatemakers of both parties,
who name the candidates for
whom the people vote, except a
candidate be an American, which is Il
very unfortunate country for an Office
seeker to have been born in. The law
making branch of the state government
particularly suffers by reason of parts
anShip and political mechanism, while
the most Important OF all Offices, men,
berS of the Legislature, are selected with
the greatest indifference. Especially is
this the rule when a United States sen
ator is to be elected, and the people,
from year to year, permit the wire-pull-
erS to dictate for them in their
party caucuses, and for the sake
of party vote for party nomi-
nees, and afterwards growl over
the weakness of an inefficient legisla-
ture. When it is remembered that the
whole of the last session of the legisla-
ture OF this state was occupied SubStan-
italy by the members from Hennepin
county in an attempt to pass laws that
would save the city of Minneapolis TO
the Republican party, it is useless to
discuss the carelessness with which the
people seem to regard the Importance of
this matter, or to further prove the power
of partisan spirit in legislative affairs.
1t may be hoped that the time will soon
arrive when the people of this nation
will emulate the example of the reign
ing magistrate, who has a broader ap-
probation of citizenship than love of
party. True patriotism seems to be his
guide; he looks after efficiency in Sc
Letting public servants rather than
party qualifications, and into the mer-
its of public measures rather than their
political effect. If the consequence of
his patriotic example in his public acts
shall be to inspire among the people a
greater love of country and tend to di-
minish the adherence to party, this eff
feet in his administration will be of
much greater advantage to his country
than all else that may follow it.